Have you noticed the frequency of ads from the Idaho Potato Commission? I have. The commission and I go way back.

Back in my fourth grade English class led by Mrs. Gage we were tasked with mastering the business letter. In order to keep our little minds engaged (back before Ritalin) and make the assignment more personal, she gave us the opportunity to send a business letter to any organization of our choosing.

In 1984, in a fourth grade classroom in Rochester, NY, both the Kirk Cameron and Michael Jackson Fan Clubs were by far the most popular destinations for our handwritten letters. Girls with big, curly hair practiced their swirly cursive in letters asking for autographed photos from the stars du jour. The size of my hair may have matched the rest, but my little grey cells understood the finicky nature of fame. What if my star was out of style by the time I received a response? No doubt that would kill my own social status among the group.

I chose to send a letter to the Idaho Potato Commission asking for recipes. Perhaps it was at that moment that my fate was sealed and I was started down the foodie path. In six to eight weeks when the rest of the class brought in big envelopes with glossy photos, I proudly showed-off my folded brochure touting the health benefits of the Idaho potato.